Marriage

Author(s): Natubhai Shah
Publisher: UK Jain Academy

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Yichud-private togetherness
Bride and groom are then led to a room where they are left alone for a short time. There they break their fast. This private togetherness actually completes the marriage ceremony. (According to Talmudic practice, in ancient times marriage could be affirmed in one of three ways: money, document or sexual relations; these are symbolised nowadays by the ring, ketubah, and yichud)
(b)
The Seudah - Wedding feast
There are many variations of this. The number of quests, speeches, courses, size of band, location of hall, menu and style of celebration will depend on family or national custom, inclination, family size, finances and social stratum. The common factors are a joyous atmosphere, singing and dancing and the repeat of the same seven blessings that were recited under the chuppah.
(c)
The week of celebration - the seven blessings
In many circles the newly-weds will have arranged to fly off on a honeymoon to some secret destination. However, those that do so miss out on a beautiful, if tiring experience - a week of feasting, each night in the home of some relative or friend. Each feast is a mini-wedding with guests invited by the host. It is an opportunity for a couple to become acquainted with each other's relatives and friends. Each feast concludes with the seven blessings that were first recited under the chuppah.
Sexual ethics - Family purity
Judaism recognises that people have sexual needs, and sees marriage as the framework within which these may be fulfilled. Judaism strictly forbids sexual relations outside of marriage. However, in Jewish law the physical side of marriage is regulated by the principles of family purity.
During menstruation, and for seven days afterwards, a woman is in a state of 'niddah', separateness. Throughout this span of time a couple are not permitted to have any form of physical contact with one another.
The wife leaves her niddah state only by immersing herself totally in a mikveh (ritual pool). On emerging, she and her husband may now resume the physical side of their marriage.
The niddah laws, in effect, rule out sexual relations for over 40% of the time. Instead of putting a strain on the marriage, however, those couples of who observe family purity find that it
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